


Cauterizing The Wound

by RedactedReader



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Cauterizing a wound, Mild Blood, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:29:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27623405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedactedReader/pseuds/RedactedReader
Summary: Katara stopped talking. She sat back, her frown tight on her lips. “There was so much blood when you guys got here. It was all over you and over him and the saddle. We were worried you might have lost too much blood and you probably would have if Zuko…. He had to stop the bleeding. He cauterized them.”Aang looked away. “Oh. Okay.”
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara
Comments: 4
Kudos: 101





	Cauterizing The Wound

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Bad Things Happen Bingo: Cauterizing A Wound
> 
> oOo

A familiar tinge of pain was what awoke Aang. The soft feathered pillow under his head and the thick comforter resting over his body was the next sensation he felt. For a moment, he felt warm and comfortable until the aching within his shoulder brought him back down. He lifted his hand slowly, struggling as if moving through a thick foam, to place it against the bandaging. His shoulder burned even worst at the contact.

"Don't touch that you dummy!" Katara's voice was like honey in a sea of pain. She carefully removed his hand, setting it back onto the soft bedspread. Aang opened his eyes slowly, gray eyes coming upon his fiancé. She looked at him with such familiar worry as she adjusted the binding around his shoulder.

"What..." he moved to sit, thankful when Katara placed the pillow behind him for support. He took in the room, a collection of greens and browns, with the evening sun shining through the open window. His gaze moved to the bandages; they wrapped around his left shoulder and upper arm, and covered nearly his entire torso. He could see a few bruises peaking out from the bandages. "I don't… What..."

"Do you remember anything? You guys were pretty banged up when we found you. Zuko told us a bit but… he was pretty messed up too. Not physically but…"

"Where is he? Is he okay?"

"He's okay. I've got Sokka watching him. Spiked some tea so he's sleeping right now. It took forever to get him calmed down to tell us what happened. He was having a bit of a panic attack but… he's going to be okay."

Aang moved his hand back over the bandages. The sharp sting was all too familiar to the burn set into his back. He shifted the medical dressing around his chest before Katara could stop him. There was a thick salve placed upon a deep red burn. It wasn't very large, about the size of his palm placed right below his collarbone. It was a measured burn, just one solid spot of violent red. A second thin burn stretched down his side. "I don't remember being burnt."

He didn't remember fire other than Zuko's. He remembered suffocating smoke. He remembered arrows searing through the sky. And Appa's howls of anger. He remembered the sharp pain passing through him before everything went dark. He remembered the arrow carving its way though his shoulder. He didn't remember being burnt. He didn't remember even getting into this bedroom. "I took an arrow."

"It was a trap." Katara reset the bindings. "Zuko said it looked like a family in trouble. A wagon caught in the river. You guys went down to help, and they sprung on you. Was like a couple dozen of them and you took a couple arrows at some point. They went straight through. Zuko he…"

Katara stopped talking. She sat back, her frown tight on her lips. "There was so much blood when you guys got here. It was all over you and over him and the saddle. We were worried you might have lost too much blood and you probably would have if Zuko…. He had to stop the bleeding. He cauterized them."

Aang looked away. "Oh. Okay."

"Are you okay?"

Aang looked back at Katara. Each movement in his shoulder sent a new nerve of pain running though him. It wasn't the worst pain he'd been though, but spirits above did it sting. "I'll be fine."

"Why don't you get some rest. I'll check to see if I can get you something to eat. I've already dressed and healed what I could. You'll scar but, you're out of danger of bleeding."

Aang nodded. Laying back down hurt a little less than it did to sit up. Katara set the blanket back over him carefully. She placed a quick kiss to his temple, before leaving the bedroom. Aang was back asleep before Katara had shut the door fully behind her. His restful snores bounced through the little green room.

ooo

_Shouts passed through the air, drawing the attention of the two men moving through the sky. Aang looked down from Appa's saddle, catching sight of a family struggling to keep their wagon from being swept away in the rapidly flowing river. He looked back at Zuko, sharing a nod as Aang directed Appa lower. They landed, both men quickly moving to help the family. It took only an extra set of hands to pull the wagon fully back onto the river bank. Aang turned, looking to speak with the tall man standing next to him, and found himself with a face full of smoking powder._

_He flew back, a gulf of air dancing around him. Aang landed carefully on the top of the wagon, gaze finding the man in question. A dozen more figures, clad in black and makeshift armor leap down from the trees. The earth split open, four more assailants rising up. Black smoke poured around them in heavy waves. Appa gave a howl._

_"Zuko!" A strong red blast cut through the smoke, sending three of their attackers tumbling into the river. Zuko was visible for a moment, before the smoke began to form again. Aang stood on the wagon top, sending a breath of air across the scene, clearing the smoke from around them. They were outnumbered, a dozen or so attackers focused on Zuko. Appa had grabbed one of them by the leg, tossing him into the water._

_Aang flipped from the wagon, landing with his back pressed again Zuko's. "You were complaining you were bored."_

_Zuko glared at him, shooting down one of the earthbenders. He straight up punch another just as Aang pulled a flow of stream from the river, cascading it over the ones before him. Despite being outnumbered, it was quite an easy fight. Only took them a few more minutes, before the young duo had their attackers subdued. The countryside was quiet once more as they took a breath._

_Aang grinned widely at his friend, standing across the field of unconscious bodies. The Fire Lord was whipping a bit of blood from his lower lip. There was a bruise around his jaw. Aang could feel the bruises on his own torso beginning to form. "Figure we'll get em tied up, contact guards in the town over."_

_"This seems too easy." Zuko was looking over the scene, eyeing the decoy wagon in suspicious. "The wagon. The river. This was planned way too well to be this easy."_

_Aang threw his head back, letting out a dramatic sigh. "Come on Zuko. Just take the win."_

_Air split next to his ear. There was an arrow embedded into the ground before him. Zuko moved, rushing towards Aang as the airbender turned to defend himself. He was too slow. The arrow sliced through his upper arm. Aang sent a gust of wind into the tree, knocking two men from it, Zuko's subsequent blast knocked them against the bark and unconscious on the ground. Their arrows had already hit their targets. One shredded its way straight through Aang's shoulder. The second tore through his lower torso. Aang swayed, looking down at the damage. The arrows were behind him. Blood began pouring way too fast out of the three puncture wounds._

_"Aang. Aang, look at me!" Zuko kept him from fully hitting the ground. He held him on his knees, placing a hand to try and stop the bleeding. "You're bleeding too much. I need to get you on Appa. I need to get you to Katara."_

_At all hurt. Black spots began to touch the edges of his gaze. "Zuko..."_

_There was a lot of blood. He looked at Zuko, as the older man closed his eyes briefly. Aang's torso began to burn slightly. Zuko looked him in the eyes, a gaze of gold full of regret and remorse. "I'm sorry Aang." ___

__ooo_ _

__Aang shot up. Pain was the first and foremost thing on his mind. His shoulder burned, sending him bending over in agony. It took a breath and another until the water in Aang's eyes began to subdue and he breathed through the pain. He got a hold of himself, taking in the green bedroom he resided in. His mind flashed back to the side of the river bank before he blinked that away. Katara was curled up in a plush arm chair beside his bed. She was breathing evenly, deep in a restful sleep._ _

__Sliding from the bed, his bare feet touched down on the cold ceramic tiles. The chill sent through his body. There was a dark brown robe resting on a nearby chair. Throwing it over his shoulders, Aang slowly left the bedroom, quiet enough to not awake his fiance, and entered the hall. It was dark, needing him to light a small flame in his hand. The place was still, sounds of people sleeping nearby._ _

__Aang pressed a hand to the wall, breathing in slightly. The ground around him shivered, and he listened. They were in a small house; in what Aang assumed was their rendezvous village; them being the only residence within the building. He moved down the hall, finding Sokka sprawled out on a couch. He was snoring loudly, droll hanging off his chin. Aang grinned at the sight, before his attention was drawn elsewhere._ _

__The kitchen was alight. The sound of a tea kettle hissing for just a moment drew Aang towards it. He found Zuko standing there, a kettle of tea in his hand. He didn't see Aang as he continued making his cup of tea. A breathe moved between them. Zuko didn't turn, but pulled another cup from the cabinet. He poured the second glass. He turned, setting both cups onto the table._ _

__"Hey." Zuko spoke quietly. His gaze moved to the bandages on his young friend's torso. A heavy sigh graced his lip. Zuko dropped full bodily into a chair at the table. He cast his gaze onto the cup of tea and refused to look away._ _

__Aang joined him, wrapping his hands around the cup. It was warm. He breathed in the sweet, almost fruity scent. "Are you okay?"_ _

__"I should be asking you that." There was a grittiness to Zuko's voice that Aang hadn't heard in years. The last time he had heard that level of self loathing tone, had been nearly five years ago when his friend had first joined them. Zuko looked up, his golden gaze heavy with building tears. "I burnt you."_ _

__"You saved me." Aang cut in quickly. "Katara said I probably might have bled out otherwise. I owe you my life. I should be thanking you."_ _

__Zuko's jaw was tight. "No you don't. I burnt you, Aang. Twice. Those scars are going to be on you. For the rest of your life."_ _

__Aang tightened his palms around the tea mug. He drank from it slowly, taking note of the slight bitter taste it held. In the years of peace brought within the young Fire Lord, his pots of teas had excelled; much to his Uncle's delight. But whenever he had been awake for too long, or was far too stressed for his own well being, his tea would once more acquire that bitter aftertaste. It was never a good sign. Zuko downed his own cup, grimacing at the bitter flavor._ _

__"I burnt you." Zuko whispered into his steaming cup. He was shacking slightly. "You should hate me. I wouldn't blame you."_ _

__"Zuko. Look at me." Aang leaned forward, looking up at his friend. He waited until Zuko did so, golden gaze meeting gray. "I don't hate you. I could never hate you. You're my friend. One of my best friends. Did you burn me because you wanted to?"_ _

__Zuko sat back, ridged as if he had been struck. "What? No. Do you think I wanted to burn you?"_ _

__"I don't. I know you didn't want to. You would never hurt me on purpose. You did what you had to, to save me. And I am thankful for that. Sure, having another scar kind of sucks, but I can live with it. It's whatever. It's just another scar. You and I made it out of there alive, and that's what matters."_ _

__Zuko looked at his younger friend. "I don't get how you're so okay with it."_ _

__Aang took another drink of the tea. "You and I are alive. That's what matters."_ _

__The two sat there, drinking their tea in silence after that. Zuko didn't seem too convinced, the guilt still prevalent on his face. Aang drug his chair over, placing himself next to Zuko. He leaned over, placing his head on the other boy's shoulder. They sat there, breathing together and drinking their slightly bitter tea. Katara found them the next morning, both passed out at the table leaning against the other. She sent a letter out, informing Toph and Suki that they would be a little delayed in arriving to Goaling. She moved back to the boys, gently shaking them awake to check their injuries._ _


End file.
